Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-09-25

on this question. Do you believe y0uc
papa is sweet enough on this client 10
marry her?"
Miss Hinton glped something down
in her throat, and answered
al do, Dick. Oh, / am afraid it Is
so. There IS a contractor coming to-
morrow to see about doing up the
house snd-and know that papa had
a lot of samples Of wallpaper in hi
study this afternoon when she came "
81 say, though" observed Mr.. Ham
mopd. little taken aback, j" thatlo ks
like bufinessl There's no time to be
lost. Polly. You must do your duty at
once, and il you do it well things will
turn ont famously."
"What am ] to do, Dick ?" she in
quired, looking mp with innocent sur
prise. 49,
"Wby, Polly, makeit hot for them J"
be answered triumphantly. It's your
solemn duty to make it hot for them.
Every chance you get with your papa
pitch into the client like fire. Make it
clear that no house will be big enough
10 hold Won and her, my dear, and we
shall gain our point. a man can stand
almost anything, you know, except hot
water. Who knows, Polly" he added
exubOantly, "but he might be glad TO
throw in another ten thousand Of his
own, in order to get You decently out
Of the way? ] can tell You one thing
III be firm on that point when I'm set
Ting things. You just see if don't"
Poor Polly's breath was takea
away. She was quick enough to
perceive the advantage of the line OF
action eDjoined by her lover, but the
look Of detection which presently APP
peared in her face confessed her hum
bled sense of inability to edo her duty.
Polly was not the stuff to make it hot
for anybody, least of all her father,
whom. like a good girl, she dearly
loved in her natural afiectionate way.
She had her strong feminine objections
to a stepmother. and her still stronger
love for Dick Hammond, to stimulate
her. but these were not sufficient 10
give her the requisite vigor. No she
could not make it hot for her father !;
her lover saw it plainly in her detected
face.
Now he was cross with her, very cross
and impatient, because it was past the
powers of his understanding that she
| should not be willing and eager to
"pitch into the client like fire !" He
said in his hasty way some words which
drew tears from the girl, and lmme-
diatoly afterward, full of remorse, took
her in his arms beneath the shadow OF
the fountain and kissed her, and, in 4
word, made it all right again.
But he was grievously dissatisfied
after that interview all the same. The
plan proposed by his friend the agent
was, Alr. Hammond was profoundly
convinced, capital plan, and here 1t
iell to The ground through poor Polly )
lack Of pluck. lie felt compelled to 90
20 Mr. Horny again the next morning.,
and presented himself to that gentle
man in Respondent mood.
well, Dick" observed the profes-
s;onal man coldly, Gin that case L don
see how the plan is Of any use. Tn
soiry for Miss uinton-and, Imay add,
sony for her father, too"
why p inquired Mr. Hammond.
"Sipco YOU were here yesterday,
answered Mir. Horny, in a careless
manner, - have made inquiries con
corning the lady in question. She IS a
widow, with lot OF money-a very
charming woman beyond doubt
bnt-" AIr. Horny shut his tips
tightly and ominously shook his head.
His client gave a soft whistle.
"fempcr?"
"Ah I" said the agent, with a sigh.
1f her last husband could speak
well, it's the old gentleman's affair
Hen catch it, that's all. SO will thc
girl. So will you if you are unlucky
enough to come in her way. I'll lay a
hundred to one, Dick, that the step
mother dispOsos of the girl and her for.
tune according to her own absolute will
and pleasure inside of six months "
This was the worst as yet. Mr.
Horny was clearly indisposed TO be
friendly underth circumstances, (whai
professional man would be 50 when hi:
advice was not acted on p and Ham
mond presently withdrew in a bad
state of mind. lie could not feel angry
with poor Polly, yet he could not deny
that her lack Of pluck was response olt
for ali the misfortunes which were i'm
pending.
They were not to meet that evening
but Dick Hammond wrote n mournfu
letter to Miss Hinton, detailing in DARK
colors what he had heard from his pro
fessional adviser. Little did the de
spondent lover dream at the moment
that Mr.. Horny was many metaphorlca
fathoms deeper than himself.
Before, however, describing the eff
feet of Mr.. Hammond's sombre lette
upon Polly Hinton it is meet to intro
duce the client In the course OF hi
business this lady had called upon Mr.
Hinton at his Office to draft her will, a
it was (she explained) her Intention t,
live abroad for some years, perhaps al
together, "as she had now no ties II
England" There is one way of saying
these last words which is known only t
widows, and the more interesting
the widow the more touching 1
the effect. Mr.. Hinton, sus
ceptible man, although Il lawyer, WIS
once interested, and when further, tn
lady revealed the amount OF her dispo
sable personality, the solicitors inter
est was considerably quickened. Afte
two interviews he saw that her wealtl
was only matched by her beauty an.
charm Of manner-a manner which
consisted of mixture of childlike sim
plicity and bright intelligence, with
tendency to blushing, especially whe
she encountered anything hard TO un
derstand and. of course, to her simpl
feminine mind, many legal points wer
, impossible mysteries.
Mr.. Hinton-no doubt out OF pre-
fessional zeal-took considerable
! amount OF time before even his client
, instructions were complete enOug
to Justify him in going on with til
I draft Of the Will. II was very interest
, ing, and very sad, for q well-preserye
/ and domesticated man of middle age t
? contemplate the last viii and testamer
/ Of a charming widow about to retire t
B., the lonely solitude of some remot
! continental retreat. Mr.. Hinton wa
growing very unhappy, and matter
might have ended sooner but for To-
q tunate incident in connection with tn
{ will, which at once placed the solicitor
relations with bis fair client on Close
: footing.